Ecuador South America

Where to stay in Quito (Ecuador): The Hump Day Hostel

As part of our 5 month trip through South America, we spent a few days in Quito – the beautiful capital of Ecuador. I first came across the Hump Day Hostel on a booking website and thought that’s a cool name, why not stay here?! Good choice, because when I entered the hostel for the first time, I knew we’ll have a good time here… the hostel is spacious, bright, clean, and centrally located. Plus, it was a great place to socialise with other travellers, and the staff.

Check-in & Staff

The reception is located on the left hand side upon entering the hostel. We got greeted by a friendly staff member who did the check-in for us and shortly after showed us the room. The reception staff spoke fluent English which made things much easier for us since our Spanish is… well, let’s say basic. The room itself can’t be locked, but we got a key for our locker. You can only pay in cash, but this is fairly normal in South America and banks are only a 5 minute walk away.

Our Room

We stayed in the 14 bed dorm room on the first floor: Virgin of Pancelillo. The room is called after the aluminium monument of Virgin Maria that can be seen from the room at the top of the hill. This is the largest room of the hostel and is split across 2 levels, 3 bunk beds on the first level and 4 on the second level, which gives the room a cosier feel. Every bed comes with a socket, reading lamp, and 2 blankets.

Dorm room in the Hump Day Hostel in Quito

The lockers are large enough to put a whole backpack inside, but there is also enough space in the room to put them in the corner without being in the way. The room has 2 private bathrooms on the first level which gets shared with the whole room. I first thought that’s going to be a problem, but it surprisingly worked out well. The hostel has 6 other rooms ranging from private single and double rooms to 9 bed dorm rooms which all come with private bathrooms.

dorm room in hump day hostel in quito

 Common areas

The common area consists of a well equipped kitchen and a living space that comes with a flat screen TV and a comfy sofa. I loved the original decoration and the wooden floor that can be found throughout the colonial building. On the first floor are more opportunities to relax and grab something to read from the bookshelf that has books from around the world.

Common area in the Hump Day Hostel in Quito

At the top of the hostel is an outdoor rooftop terrace – another great place to socialise. Unfortunately, the weather was very unsteady while I was there, otherwise this would have been to perfect place for a BBQ.

Roof terrace at the Hump Day Hostel in Quito

Breakfast

My expectations are low when it comes to breakfasts in hostels, but this time I was very impressed with the variety each morning. The breakfast gets served between 7.30 and 10am in the kitchen which means there’s no need for an early start if you like to take it slowly. You can help yourself to tea and coffee and besides the usual toast with butter and marmalade, we got freshly squeezed juices, fresh fruits, and we could choose between scrambled egg, omelette, or a boiled egg. But what I liked the most: the juices and fruits varied every day, so it didn’t feel like eating the same every single morning.

breakfast at the Hump Day Hostel in Quito

Amenities

The hostel offers complimentary wi-fi and breakfast as well as towels for $2 (free in private rooms) and a super quick laundry service for $3 which was much appreciated – we left our laundry at 10am at the reception and picked it up at 4pm. Trust me, if you have travelled for a while, this is a big bonus.

The hostel also organises daily events such as roulette nights and salsa classes and you can book day tours through the reception to places including Cotopaxi, Quilotoa, and Otavalo market. On our first day we wanted to do the free walking tour, and they were very helpful and pointed us into the right direction how to get to the meeting point.

Check out is at 11:30am but we still had some time left to explore the area a bit further, so we left our backpacks at the hostel free of charge. There’s no storage room, but we could leave them next to the reception which seems safe as the front door is locked and there’s always somebody at reception.

Common area in the Hump Day Hostel in Quito

Location

The hostel is located right in the historic centre and is only a quick walk away from Plaza Grande and the bohemian neighbourhood La Ronda where you can find great restaurants, bars, and the best chocolate of Quito. All the main attractions of the old town are accessible by foot which is great if this is your first time in the city. For great views over Quito, the Virgin of Pancelillo is only a $2 dollar taxi ride away from the hostel.

View from the Hump Day Hostel in Quito

Overall, we had a great time at the Hump Day Hostel and enjoyed the cosy, friendly, and clean environment. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly, yet cool place to stay in Quito, check out the Hump Day Hostel. You won’t be disappointed!

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Where to stay in Quito: The Hump Day Hostel

A big thank you to the Hump Day Hostel for making our stay possible. All thoughts and opinions expressed are 100% my own. 

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14 Comments

  • Reply
    Viola Rice
    4. March 2024 at 6:29 am

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  • Reply
    Laveena Sengar
    4. May 2017 at 4:54 pm

    This was such an interesting read. The hostel seemed quite interesting to me and loved knowing all about it.

    • Reply
      Sina Meyer
      5. May 2017 at 9:58 am

      Thank you, glad you enjoyed the post 🙂

  • Reply
    oursweetadventures
    1. May 2017 at 5:30 pm

    This looks like a very nice, cozy, enjoyable place to stay that could rival a nice hotel. The amenities and views are great. The common areas are very nice and great for socializing. Thank you for sharing this!

    • Reply
      Sina Meyer
      2. May 2017 at 2:30 pm

      Yes, it could definitely rival a hotel – I’ve never stayed at such a spacious, modern hostel. I’m glad you like it too 🙂

  • Reply
    Claire
    1. May 2017 at 12:20 pm

    Firstly, love the name of this place! Secondly, this is totally my kind of place! Would def stay here!

    • Reply
      Sina Meyer
      2. May 2017 at 2:33 pm

      Haha, I absolutely love the name too! Glad you like the hostel, it was one of my favourites during my trip through South America 🙂

  • Reply
    Deann
    1. May 2017 at 10:36 am

    This hostel is perfect, convenient and not so expensive,
    Thanks Sina

    • Reply
      Sina Meyer
      2. May 2017 at 2:34 pm

      Glad you agree, thanks for sharing your thoughts!

      • Reply
        Deann
        30. June 2017 at 3:44 pm

        You’re welcome and also thanks for your sharing 😉

  • Reply
    Shannalyn
    30. April 2017 at 7:44 pm

    I have traveled a ton yet never stayed in a hostel. They have always scared me a little bit since I love my own space. I don’t like having to share tight quarters. Have you found hostel experiences to be good across the board? I have friends who love them.

    • Reply
      Sina Meyer
      2. May 2017 at 2:41 pm

      I know what you mean, it’s nice to have your own space but I found that some hostels have a very standard and it’s worth checking them out. I usually read a lot of reviews before I make a booking just to make sure it’s a decent hostel. I’ve only made one bad experience in Uruguay otherwise I was very happy with all the hostels. Besides that, hostels often have nice private rooms too. Give it a try 🙂

  • Reply
    Dave McClane
    27. April 2017 at 6:09 pm

    This looks like a great Hostel – The dorms look funky and the common room cosy! I wish I knew about it when I was in Quito – It would have been good to stay nearer to La Ronda. I loved Quito even though I wasn’t expecting much from it!

    • Reply
      Sina Meyer
      28. April 2017 at 11:52 am

      Yes, the hostel is definitely a good choice and I was very happy with the location too – it was great being so close to everything! I know what you mean, I didn’t have many expectations either, but really enjoyed Quito and the surrounding area.

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